Channels TV Boss, John Momoh elected as BON Chairman

The Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) has elected the Chairman of Channels Media Group, Mr. John Momoh, as the Chairman.

At the annual delegate conference on Wednesday in Abuja, Mr. Momoh beat his opponent by polling 51 votes against Mr Abbas Dalhatu from Freedom Radio, Kano who scored 12 votes.

This is the first time a private television media owner would be holding this position.

John Momoh’s Acceptance Speech

My Distinguished Colleagues, fellow Nigerian Broadcasters, today is a new dawn in the annals of Broadcasting in Nigeria. A new vista of revolutionary ideals has just opened.

This day, we have made history with the successful conduct of the first-ever election into National Offices of our great Association. When the future generation comes, they will surely applaud our conduct of today. I salute you all.

Just before the ovation dies and the excitement of the elections wear off, let me quickly appreciate you all for the warmth with which you have embraced my humble offer of new ideas and ideals. I am overwhelmed by the wide acceptance of the adventurous manifesto I presented before you.

Suffice to say that almost three decades after its establishment, The Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria is yet to earn its deserved respect among professional bodies in Nigeria.

BON is like the proverbial goose that lays the golden egg but is not accorded its due respect. For those three decades, BON has not attained the level of a big player in matters that directly affect its membership. Other smaller bodies have ridden roughshod over its members.

The leadership I offer, which you have endorsed by your votes today, is determined to address these and influence a new thinking, a new respect and a new vision for us all as professional broadcasters.

In the next two years, I hope, of course with your support, to lead this noble body to hitherto unimaginable heights.

Collectively, we shall begin a rapid development of the broadcast industry in Nigeria while embracing cutting edge technologies to match our counterparts around the globe.

Together, we shall shape the future of our industry and give fresh hopes to the future generations of Nigerian Broadcasters.

Through collaboration, we shall tackle common challenges frontally and victory is assured.

Our immediate focus would be to define a new line of Thoughts using the T.A.I.T Agenda;

* Re-enforcing existing structures of our Association to help broadcasters to seize opportunities in the digital age;

* Advocacy that would ensure that policy makers are kept abreast of issues that affect the broadcasting industry; this translates to a better understanding of our stakes by members of the National and State Assemblies, the Executive Councils at all levels as well as Regulatory and Administrative machineries of governments;

* Innovation requires us to be dynamic and we shall introduce innovations that would allow Nigerian broadcasters to construct new services to match evolving and flexible business models

* Training and re-training of personnel would expose them to new ideas, new technologies and engender new thinking and new ideals.

We also intend, in the coming days, to begin a systematic but definite process of restructuring of the secretarial operations of the Association to infuse a new orientation that will result in a new focus and direction.

In that vein, we intend to introduce a Board Structure that will run the Association as a private concern with board committees responsible for:

1. Operations & Regulatory Affairs
2. Government Relations & International Affiliations
3. Legal & Copyright Affairs
4. Advertising & Corporate Relations
5. Training & Overseas Affairs

The immediate tasks ahead of us as a new administration include the recovery of the huge debts owed us by our various patrons; the thorny issue of Digital Switch-Over and the crippling duplicity of levies and taxes.

There is no iota of doubt that not a few members are affected by one or more of these burning issues. We intend to hit the ground running as we use these as the pivot of our activities on take-off in January.

We are optimistic that the current leadership will trigger the processes for us to leverage on.

My esteemed colleagues, it would be inappropriate if I failed to acknowledge my fellow gladiators, the gentlemen who inspired a new zeal in us all by throwing their hats into the ring at the onset.

Even though some gallantly withdrew their candidature along the way, they nonetheless stimulated a new consciousness that has raised the bar in BON.

I want to salute my Mister Tony Akiotu, Group Managing Director of Daar Communications Plc and Doctor Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, Chairman of Desmims Broadcast Nigeria Limited. Gentlemen, we recognise your valour.

To my co-contestants who saw it all through, Osa Sunny Adun, Chairman Degue Broadcasting Nigeria Limited and Alhaji Abbas, Managing Director of Freedom Radio – you made the race more interesting. Your resilience is highly appreciated.

Our dear Colleagues, I want to congratulate you on making history by electing a female deputy, Hajia Sa’a Ibrahim, Managing Director of Abubakar Rimi Television, Kano who will pilot this vehicle with me. Your gender sensitivity would go down into the history books of broadcasting in Nigeria.

Finally, I want to congratulate our able Chairman, Yakubu Ibn Mohammed whose first assignment in Office was the conduct of the highly successful BON National Elections and of course, our very resourceful, proactive and energetic Executive Secretary, Mister Olusegun Olaleye. We owe you a debt of gratitude and hope to reward your hard work someday soon.

To the John Momoh Campaign Think-Thank, I thank you for running a successful train. We have a collective responsibility to make every success of this mandate.

God bless you all.

JOHN MOMOH O.O.N

Abuja. Wednesday, 27 July, 2016.